Toastmasters is definitely still on my agenda: life has moved on a bit since I wrote this post — I’ve got engaged to my fiancé, and we’ll be moving in July from London to Oxford then getting married in the September, so I’m thinking of joining a group in the autumn… probably this one: http://www.oxfordspeakers.co.uk … thanks for the encouragement.

One challenge – as the president of a local Toastmasters Club, I do hope you’ll decide to join and work through at least the first 10 speeches (the Competent Communicator manual). The club and these projects have actually injected a huge amount of energy and productivity into me as my confidence builds. It’s like tapping an unknown reserve and finding there’s more of _me_ there!

Thanks for sharing your powerful ideas.

(The post is at http://www.problogger.net/archives/2009/09/16/thirteen-steps-to-write-and-publish-a-free-ebook-in-thirteen-hours for anyone who missed it!)

Jonathan, I personally think a 10 or 20 year timeframe is too much for goals! If I’d set myself goals 20 years ago to reach now, I’d have been four, and the goals would’ve included “Queen of the World” (I was an ambitious child…)

Welcome to the blog, Lisa! And thanks for your comment! It’s a great example of how concrete, yes/no questions can help with difficult decisions. I think it’s really hard to leave volunteer positions – especially when they’re causes you love – but I’ve had to do the same to focus on my current priorities. Trying to have it all at once is like trying to eat everything on the menu in your favourite restaurant all in one sitting…

I too, get very excited about many projects and then find I have to let some go. Still learning about that delicate balance.

When I was writing my book, I had a three month deadline (!) so I celebrated my book deal for about 30 seconds and then got a terrible migrane for a week. How was I going to write a (good) book in three months, while running my design firm, teaching MBA students, and chairing a board of a professional association dear to my heart?

I had to keep cash flowing, while writing, too.

I was able to prioritize by asking of every commitment these two questions:
Will this help me write my book?
Will it pay in 30 days?

I let go of the volunteer board position and took a teaching sabbatical. That freed up over 20 hrs. per week of my time for the book.

I learned to delegate more at my design firm. That resulted in increased business, because I wasn’t the bottleneck.

And I kept asking those 2 questions of every new opportunity that presented itself. This helped me make my deadline and and opened up all sorts of new opportunities.

Your post is just the reminder I need right now as good new stuff presents itself: prioritize!

Who was it who said: “You can have it all — just not all at once” ?

Set it up like this.

Top 3/ 1 year goals
Top 3/ 2Year goals
Top 3/ 5 year goals
Top 3/ 10 year goals
Top 3/ 20 year goals